Bo Zai Fan (Chinese Sausage, Shiitake and Chicken Claypot Rice)

Bo Zai Fan (Chinese Sausage, Shiitake and Chicken Claypot Rice)

200g rice
200g water
3 dried shiitake mushrooms 
A small handful of cloud ear fungus (optional) 
300g Chicken thigh, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon Xiaoxin wine
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar 1 tsp
1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 Chinese sausage (lap cheung), sliced 
2 tablespoons spring onion, sliced

Wash and rinse the rice. Add drained rice and water to the claypot. Set aside for 30 minutes. 

Pour hot water onto Shiitake mushrooms and cloud ear to rehydrate. This takes about 20-30 minutes also. Once they are rehydrated, cut them into thin slices.

In a mixing bowl, marinade the chicken, Shiitake mushrooms and cloud ear with Xiaoxin wine, corn starch, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, dark soy and white pepper. 

After 30 minutes, turn on the stove to medium, constantly stirring the pot to prevent the rice getting stuck at the bottom. Once the water starts to boil, add Chinese sausage on top and let it cook on low heat for 3 minutes. 

Arrange the chicken, mushrooms and cloud ear evenly on top of the rice, close the lid and let it cook for a further 10-15 minutes. Make sure the flame is low to prevent burning of the rice.

Check to make sure the chicken has cooked through and all liquid has been absorbed by the rice. Turn off the stove, with the lid on and let it sit for a further 5 minutes. 

While the rice is cooking, place soy sauce, sugar and mirin in a small pot. Warm it up until sugar dissolves. 

Open the lid of the claypot and sprinkle spring onion on top. Mix through the topping and the rice, serve the claypot rice hot with the sauce. I found that without the sauce it is flavourful enough and definitely not needed for the kids. 

Read the full story behind this recipe in our interview with Sarah Leung, here.